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Thank You Talisman!

GPRC President, Don Gnatiuk and Vice President, Academic, Susan Bansgrove recently accepted a $9670 donation from Lori Pollock and Chris Jeske from Talisman Energy. The funds will go towards supporting local palaeontology and specifically to showcase the results of local research of a new species of horned dinosaur.

Last year, Talisman Energy’s donation enabled the helicopter lift of important fossil material from a new bone bed located along the Wapiti River. World renowned dinosaur expert, Dr. Philip Currie, was in charge of the excavation and he indicated that the dinosaur might prove to be yet another new species from the Grande Prairie area. This 2008 donation will go towards preparing these fossils at the U of A so that they can be described and studied, and later sent back to Grande Prairie for display.

The donation, which will be submitted for matching funds through the Access to the Future Program, will enable further exploration and field work in the Peace Country. This unique sediment layer called the Wapiti Formation ( 69-73 million years old ) has the potential of yielding many new discoveries of new species since it was deposited at a time when the southern part of Alberta and most of North America were covered by an inland saltwater sea. These new discoveries will enrich our knowledge of local palaeontology and will further enhance community access to these important scientific resources. Thank you Talisman Energy for playing a vital role in these endeavors. Submitted by Katalin Ormay